149,000 Russian troops placed at Ukraine’s border, – Ukraine’s Defense Minister

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stated that Kyiv does not confirm the withdrawal of Russian troops from the border. According to the minister, as of February 18, 149,000 Russian troops of the ground component, as well as aviation and naval contingent are amassed at Ukrainian borders.

The head of the Ministry of Defense stated this during his today’s speech in Verkhovna Rada.

According to him, there might be different dates and scenarios of the invasion, but Ukraine’s Armed Forces have calculated everything and are ready for them. At the same time, the possibility of invasion of Ukraine is now assessed as low.

Read also: 7,400 people in Luhansk region without power; no cell phone coverage after Russia-backed militants’ attack

At the same time, Reznikov said that the Kremlin is preparing to recognize the self-proclaimed Donbas republics following the Abkhazia and South Ossetia scenario of 2008.

February 16, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry informed about 140,000 Russian troops over Ukraine’s borders.

February 16, Russia’s defence ministry published footage of what it said were tanks, armored personnel carriers, and mobile artillery leaving the Crimean peninsula — which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 — and returning to their bases.

Russia has not taken its “foot off the gas” over a potential invasion and Ukraine and the UK hasn’t “seen evidence” of a withdrawal of forces, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned.

Read also: Escalation in Donbas: Russia-backed militants shell residential neighborhood in Stanytsia Luhanska, causing fire

February 17, the situation in the Donbas conflict area worsened after a relative lull. As reported earlier, Russia-backed militants shelled a number of civilian facilities, including a school and a kindergarten. 

Find out more details on the attacks here.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are disputed territories in the Caucasus. The central government of Georgia considers the republics under military occupation by Russia. They are both recognized as independent by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria. Russia’s initial recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occurred in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. Russia became the first UN member state to recognize South Ossetia.